The Grave

All praises be to Allah, peace and prayer of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companion.

Brother, have you ever heard of the luxurious cemetery developed by Lippo Karawaci company, namely San Diego Hills Memorial Park and Funeral Homes (SDH)? It is said that to build that cemetery complex, Lippo must spend great amount of budget, which approximately reach 10 trillions rupiah, since it is completed with family center such as 8 hectare of a lake, chapel for ceremony before the funeral, building for meeting with the capacity of 250 seats, Italian restaurant, sport facilities such as swimming complex, jogging track, etc. The developer wishes to make this cemetery complex a green and beautiful place thus it’ll become one of the tourism destination.

But is it true that by having those luxurious facilities, a cemetery will turn into a comfortable, beautiful place, particularly for it’s residents?

To know the answer, we should know first, what exactly will be happened inside the grave realm.

Brother, if when you are alive you were faithful man, who loved to perform righteous deeds, then after your spirit separated from your body, it would be brought to the sky, to Allah.

When it arrived at the world sky, the angels who bring the spirit of a believer with them will ask for permission for him for the sky gate to be opened. After it was opened, the leader of the angels who resided in the sky world would immediately escort it to the next sky. The process continued until it came to the seventh sky. When that spirit of a believer arrived at the seventh sky, Allah The Great and Almighty would say to the angels: “Write the book of deeds of My slave on the highest and noblest place. After that return him to the earth, because I’ve made them from it, and I’ll return them to it and I’ll resurrect them from it.” So the spirit of a believer will be returned to his body.

After it returned to it’s body, two angels would come and sat him, and they asked:

“Who is your Lord?”. The believer would reply, “My Lord is Allah”.

They asked again, “What is your religion?” The believer would again reply, “My religion is Islam.”

They continued to ask, :”Who is the man that being sent to you among your nation?” The believer reply, “He is the messenger of Allah.”

They asked again,” Where do you learn your answers from?” The believer answered, “I’ve learned the Book of Allah, and then I believed in and trusted it.”

After the believer succeeded in answering all questions of the angels, a caller would call from the sky: “My slave has answered correctly, then spread out for him mattress from heaven, give him clothes from Paradise, and open to him the doors to heaven.” Thus the believer would taste the coolness and sweet smells of Paradise. His grave would be expanded as far as his sight. Then a good looking, nice groomed and nice smelled man would came to him, saying: “Cheer up with something that definitely make you happy, this is the day that had previously been promised to you. ”

Upon seeing that good looking man, the believer would immediately asked: “Who are you, your face shows that you’ll come with goodness?”

The man replied: “I am your righteous deeds.”

Knowing that Allah has accepted his righteous deeds, the believer would prayed: “O Allah, immediately raise the last day, so I am soon to be reunited with family and my wealth. ”

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Brother, I believe you also wish to be that man. You wish to be able to answer the questions of angels of the grave thus you’ll taste the pleasures inside it.

But you must have realized the true you, do you resemble the man mentioned above?

Read the questions and answers between the angels and the spirit above. Think carefully the question and answer particularly on part: “Where did you learn your answers?” The believer replied: “I’ve read the Book of Allah, and then I believed in and trusted it.”

Is it true that you have recognized Allah, Islam, and Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- because you’ve learned the Book of Allah? Or you merely recognized those answers because you were born among muslim society while you couldn’t read the Qur’an moreover to learn it’s meaning and content?

It’s not bad to think twice! Where do I recognize Allah, Islam, and prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-? Is it true that I’ve known it because I’ve learned the Qur’an, believed in it, and carried on it’s lessons?

It is feared that for all these times, you just know them by imitating other’s words! You’ve heard people said something about it, and you follow what they said. If it is your condition, then read carefully what will you go through inside your grave:

When the spirit arrived at the world sky, the angels who brought the spirit of the evil man asked for permission for the gate to be opened for him, but the gate was closed. Then the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- read Allah’s decree:

“Surely the gates of Heaven shall not be opened for those who reject Our Signs as false and turn away from them in arrogance; nor shall they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. Thus do We reward the guilty ones.” (Qs. Al-A’raf/The Height: 40)

Then Allah the Almighty and Noble declared: “Write for him on Sijjin, on the lowest of the earth.” After that the spirit would be thrown harshly to the earth”. Next, the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- read the verse of Allah the Exalted:

“Whoso ascribes Divinity to aught beside Allah, it is as though he fell down from the sky whereafter either the birds will snatch him away, or the wind will sweep him to a distant place (causing him to be shattered to pieces). “ (Qs. Al Hajj/The Pilgrimage: 31)

The spirit then returned to his body. After that, two angels would come and sit him down. After he sat, The angels asked him:

“Who is your Lord?” The evil man was confused how to answer it, and said, “Ha, Ha, I don’t know”

The angels asked him again, “What is your religion?” The evil man was still confused and said, “Ha, Ha, I don’t know.”

The angels asked him again: “Who is the man that was sent to you among your nation?” Again he was confused to answer and said, “Ha, ha, I don’t know.” On some narration it is said that, the evil man said, “I don’t know, I just imitate what people said.”

Upon hearing those answers of that evil man, both angels would scold him, saying: “You don’t know, and you’ve never learned?” Then he would be smacked very hardly with iron hammer until he screamed painfully. So hard that he screamed, until all creatures around him would be able to hear it but the jinn and men.

After that, a caller would call from the sky: “Indeed, My slave has lied! Spread out for him mattress from Hell fire, and open for him the door to Hell.” Then he would feel the extreme heat and foul smell of the Hell. Not just that, his grave would also be confined until his bones were scattered.

After his grave being confined, a man would come to him, an ugly, terrible groomed, and foul smelled man, who said:” Enjoy something that’ll sadden you, this is the day that has been promised to you.” The evil man asked him:” Who are you? Your face telling that you bring bad lucks!” The man replied, “I am your evil deeds.” Because regretted his actions, the evil man called: “O God, don’t raise the doomsday.”

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I summarized the above story from narrations of Imam Bukhari and Ahmad.

Brother! Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taimiyya told that the when the cattle of the residents of Sham suffered stomachache, they would quickly bring it to the cemetery of the Jews or Christians, or Zoroastrians, or hypocrites from the followers of Ismailite cult or mysticism. That is because the dwellers of those grave were tortured, thus they yelled and screamed in pain:

“were it not for fear you will be reluctant to bury your dead brothers, surely I will ask Allah that he let out to you some of the sound of punishment of the grave as I hear.” (Narrated by Muslim).

Brother, read again the answer of the evil man above, of the angels’ question: ” I don’t know, I just imitate what people said.”

Brother! By what you believe in Allah, embrace Islam as your religion, and perform the teaching of Prophet Muhammad? Have you do it all based on knowledges from the Qur’an or merely following the saying of your parent or people around you? You’re the only one who know the answer.

May Allah the Exalted make us and all of our relatives and intimates, among the p people who answer questions in the grave angels as the first man and not the second one.

“O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the punishment of the grave, and the torment of hell. As I also seek refuge in you from the temptations of life and death and from the temptation of Messiah Ad Dajjal. “ Amin..